For over two decades, the Goldmans have nurtured a community of scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise never have found their way to academic success. These “diamonds in the rough,” as Ruth calls them, often arrive feeling like imposters but graduate as leaders. With Ruth’s experience as a Holocaust survivor and first-generation college student guiding their approach, the Goldmans have created a program that offers funding, mentorship, emotional support, and lifelong connections. Most remarkably, their scholars have achieved a 100 percent graduation rate, and almost all of them are the first in their families to earn advanced degrees and create pathways for others to follow.
Q: What inspired you to create the New Leader Scholarship Fund, and specifically at UC Berkeley?
Ruth: My own experiences shaped this decision significantly. I’m an immigrant who came to the U.S. as a young child. Having a dark complexion, I was often treated as “other” in our multiracial neighborhood. I was the first in my family to attend college, and no one expected me to pursue higher education. As a Holocaust survivor — my parents and I were the only ones from our family who escaped that horror — I felt a profound obligation. This country had opened its doors when others closed theirs. I believed I owed something sacred in return: to extend my hand to others as America had extended its hand to me.
I attended City College of New York when public education was still free. After some time, I came to Berkeley for my doctorate and fell in love with the university. Years later, when I was approaching retirement from 30 years plus as a professor of psychology, I wanted to maintain that connection with students. I especially loved the diversity and found classes more interesting and exciting with students from varied backgrounds.